Thursday, April 30, 2009

There have been calls for the resignation of North Carolina representative Virginia Foxx who yesterday during the house of representatives hearing of H.R. 1913 the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act AKA Matthew Shepard Act, called Matthew Shepard's case a "hoax" and a crime not motivated by anti-gay bias but by robbery.

Below a video from Media Matters captures the reps comments, and the facts that the Matthew Shepard case was indeed a hate crime motivated by sexual orientation:

The representative later, said the word "hoax" was likely a poor choice of words, but did not apologize for her comments.

I was deeply offended by your comments. I cannot believe that you would attack the mother of Matthew Shepard, the gay community, and use the Floor to speak such lies and hate.

You need to understand that it is comments like yours about the incidents surrounding Matthew Shepard's death, that enable and inspire hate crimes to happen. You are telling bullies and people that it is okay to discriminate, lie, and spread propaganda in order to move your position.

Gay hate crimes are the only hate crimes on the rise. They happen almost every 6 hours. Gay teen suicide rate is 6 times higher than straight teens. One of the main reasons for this is that WE are the only minority that grow up in homes and communities where we are hated and do not have a parent that can truly understand what we are going through.

I have been tear gassed at a gay parade, attacked along with friends with a baseball bat wielding straight person, harassed at work, hit by a car by a straight driver because I was gay, and have had to listen to comments like yours my whole life. They are all hate filled actions and need to stop.

You need to change your position, you need to apologize for your comments, and you really need to check what Jesus has said about love and compassion and maybe try and be a TRUE Christian(Christians do not hate). THEN, you need to read the CONSTITUTION and understand that you are representing all Americans and need to respect us all, and do your job to make this country a better place, not a hate spreading one that blames others for their problems. We are not Nazi Germany.

You don't have to pretend to be anyone else. I do not care if she knows who I am. I am a U.S. citizen and she is suppose to help me have freedom and enjoy he pursuit of happiness, and she needs to realize that or quit.

I would rather her quit, because her apology for use of "Hoax" and not for what she said, and then saying she still believes the source, is almost worse.